Alone
by TheRealRenee
Summary: // Chapter 16 now up \\ Stephanie deals with her own personal misery, but things start to look up when someone unexpected comes back into her life. Stephanie/Sean O'Haire, Triple H, Vince, others to be determined
1. Chapter 1

October 4, 2005

Alone... She felt more alone than ever. She could barely bring herself to lift her head from its downcast position as she jotted down some notes on the papers strewn before her. Even when the voice hit her ears, she didn't bother looking up.

"Ma'am?" the voice repeated.

Stephanie McMahon looked up almost impatiently, broodingly as she met the eyes of the waiter. The man merely smiled at her, seemingly not at all aware of her mood. Well, it wasn't his fault.

"More coffee?" he asked genially.

The youngest McMahon glanced back down to her left at her cup - it was nearly empty. She picked it up and handed it to the man gratefully, nodding.

"Yes, that would be good. Thank you." She offered him a quick smile before she cast her gaze immediately back down to the work she had spread out on the booth's table. She had to get this damn paperwork done before tonight's SmackDown taping, or it would be her ass.

The waiter poured her more coffee, and she sighed the moment he was gone. She stared down at the steaming hot beverage, her thoughts darkening as the blackness of the drink.

She felt so unfulfilled... She hated that feeling with such a passion. It was something she herself didn't even quite understand. She had a fabulous career and had been born into a prestigious family. Being the daughter of Vincent Kennedy McMahon definitely had its benefits. As much as Stephanie and her father had not seen eye-to-eye for awhile now, she was smart enough to realize that.

Stephanie had made her return to WWE television just the prior night at RAW's Homecoming, when the program had returned to its original network, USA. At first, when she'd been informed of the situation and that she would be appearing, she'd been damn near ecstatic. However, as time drew nearer to that night, she found herself more disheartened. It wasn't anywhere near as exciting as she'd initially found it. It wasn't that she would be receiving a Stunner from Stone Cold Steve Austin, either. She'd always liked Steve, and he'd always been so gentle with her when she took bumps at his hands. It was... something else.

The young woman raised her head again, her left hand clasping the mug as she blinked thoughtfully. Alone - that's what it was. She was so terribly alone. It was strange... She had friends and a whole team of people working under her in the company. Yet at the same time, she felt a yawing, chasm-like emptiness inside of her. Melancholy seemed to be her best friend.

Stephanie sighed again as she raised the cup to her lips. She needed that caffeine fix, or else she would never stay awake long enough to finish all this damn paperwork.

"Oh! Shit!" she cried abruptly as she burned her mouth and tongue. She put the mug down in a hurry, upset and embarrassed as she realized she'd drawn the attention of a few fellow diners nearby. And great... She noticed she'd spilled some of the coffee on her papers.

Shaking her head, she gathered up her napkins and some fresh ones from the dispenser to her left to sop up the liquid. This was just exactly what she needed to further darken her already rotten mood.

"Stephanie? Oh, my God, I thought that might be you."

The young woman looked up slowly at the sound of the voice. It was male, but not at all like that of the waiter who'd come by moments earlier. It was deeper in timbre and... familiar, so familiar.

Her blue eyes widened in shocked recognition as she met a pair of orbs just as blue as hers. They were eyes she hadn't seen in nearly two years. Her breath seemed all but lost as her own seemed positively glued to their piercing, penetrating, brilliant gaze.

"Sean?" she breathed. It didn't seem possible, but it was indeed of course him. She hadn't seen him since he'd been released by the company in November of 2003.

"Yeah," Sean O'Haire replied with a bright smile. "Same old," he continued. He gazed her over for a beat in silence before speaking again. "Wow, your hair..."

"Oh, yeah," she replied, dumbfounded, her right hand quickly and absent-mindedly going up into her hair. She'd dyed it blonde several months back and enjoyed it enough to keep it that shade. However, she'd been growing tired of it and had been starting to long for her natural brunette again.

"... It looks great," the muscular man went on. "You look great." He meant it wholeheartedly. He could hardly take his eyes off of her, despite himself. Damn it, but she was gorgeous.

Stephanie cocked her head to one side as she smiled bashfully, her gaze still on his blue eyes. She gathered up her papers then, quickly, her mouth nearly running dry.

"Would you like to join me? Please..."

"Don't mind if I do," O'Haire replied, and he slid into the booth across from the young woman, his gaze still fastened on her. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Life was obviously treating her well.

The blonde woman moved her papers into the briefcase beside her on the booth, almost shyly sneaking a look at him at the same time. She suddenly felt an even more uncomfortable emptiness inside of her as she recalled some news she'd heard back in May of this year.

"So... I guess congratulations are in order..."

"For what?" Sean asked, arching a brow questioningly. He gratefully accepted the menu the waiter came by to deliver to him.

Stephanie nearly blushed as she said the words. They came out so softly that O'Haire could barely hear them.

"Your marriage... I heard you got married back in May."

"Oh, that," the dark-haired man said. "Thanks, but... Well, actually, the truth is, we split up."

The young woman looked up sharply at him.

"You did?" she asked, surprised. She wasn't lost to the fact that her heart was hammering like crazy in her chest. She sincerely hoped he wouldn't be able to actually hear it.

"Yeah," Sean replied. "It didn't work out. I filed for divorce over two months ago."

"I'm sorry," Stephanie replied genuninely. She looked down for a moment, not knowing what else to say.

O'Haire was silent as well for a beat, then swallowed a few sips of water before speaking again.

"I guess I should congratulate you... How's marriage treating you?"

"I'm not married," the woman replied quickly.

Sean cocked his head, his blue orbs fixed on her lovely face. She looked sad. He hoped he hadn't touched on a tender subject with her. He was about to say something again, but she spoke first and explained.

"Paul and I broke up two years ago... I..." She sighed for the umpteenth time. "... I found out he was cheating on me, and I kicked his ass out. To be honest, the only reason he still has a job is because Daddy practically worships him." A bitterness consumed her as she spoke that last sentence.

O'Haire didn't know what to say this time. His head swarmed with about a dozen different questions, but for now, he kept them inside.

Stephanie looked up yet again and met his gaze, instantly noticing the pleasant shivers rippling their way down her back. She bit her lip and raised her coffee cup again, knowing that by now, the beverage had cooled considerably. After a long swallow, she regarded him again.

"How is your career going these days?"

Sean grew visibly uncomfortable at the question.

"Well... Not as good as I thought," he replied with a sigh of his own. "They've been cutting back on competitors in my federation in Japan. That's why I'm back here in the States."

"Oh, no," Stephanie exclaimed. She listened to him go on about his job, and how he'd lost it. The federation's budget had steadily declined, and unfortunately, Sean had been one of the competitors to be cut.

"I have a great idea," the young woman said, a sudden brainstorm hitting her. "Come back to work at the WWE!"

One of the man's brows arched in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," she answered. A brilliant smile came to her face, lighting it up. Hell, to O'Haire, that beautiful smile lit up the entire room. "I'm officially hiring you."

"Wow... I don't know what to say, Stephanie. Yes, I do - thank you." He couldn't stop gazing at her, even when the waiter came by to take his order.


	2. Chapter 2

Stephanie sighed and turned over for the umpteenth time. Her eyes snapped wide open, however, as she knew it was a futile effort. Try as she might, she knew there was no way she was getting any sleep that night.

The young woman lay there for a beat, then raised her arms to cross them over her chest. She gazed up at the intricate, impossible and imagined patterns on the ceiling through the darkness. Her mind was working well part overtime.

She couldn't stop thinking about him... How had it been that he'd been in the exact same diner she'd been in, in the same exact town in the same exact city? It was all such a mystery to her. Yet, at the same time, Stephanie had always thought Sean O'Haire to be a mystery.

She couldn't deny it, least of all to herself - she'd thought about the burly, dark-haired man a lot over the last two years. Most especially after that one night, she hadn't been able to truly rid her mind of him.

_Hot, moist, skin-to-skin they pressed, their bodies moving together in perfect, synchronic rhythm. His lips were so sweet, so demanding, and they absolutely set her on fire. She clung to him, her long, manicured nails digging into his perfect, firm butt, a wanton cry emerging from her lips as she tried desperately to pull him even more deeply inside of her. Her head shot back, blue eyes squeezed shut as she gave in, a wail of pleasure bubbling forth. This was ecstasy the caliber of which she'd definitely never known until now..._

Stephanie groaned, kicking the blanket off her body as she uncrossed her arms, one of her hands coming up to shove back some of her sweaty long blonde hair. God, she needed to get a grip. And more importantly, she needed a decent night's sleep. Of course, this wouldn't be the first sleepless night she'd experienced.

Closing her eyes again, she willed slumber to come to her. Damn it, she was weary. On average, she would guess she got about six hours of sleep per night at most. That wasn't enough.

Stephanie wondered if he thought about her over the course of the two years since he'd been gone from the company. She wondered if he was haunted by the memory of that fateful night - much like she was on nearly a nightly basis.

She mentally answered her own question... 'Probably not,' she thought with resignation. As was her custom, a deep loneliness gripped her in its cold clutches.

She kicked the covers off her feet and rose from the bed, meandering her way to the window. Using one hand to push the drapes aside, she climbed up to sit, as it was an extravagant bay window in her bedroom. Again, she had to acknowledge that being Vince McMahon's daughter did have some benefits. Although she'd been born into the multi-millionaire family, she still enjoyed a decent measure of her own success and notariety. She hadn't purchased this luxurious home until she'd deemed herself independent. She liked to think the money she'd spent on it had been her own that she'd earned in her position as head writer in the WWE, rather than from her inheritance.

The blonde sighed wearily. Sometimes, she really hated who she was. Oh, she loved her family - her mother, Linda, older brother Shane, and yes - even Vince, despite their strained relationship. However, at times she felt as though the name "McMahon" and nearly everything it entailed was a curse.

She stayed there in the window, her legs curled under her Indian-style, back against the wall, staring out into the dark night for several minutes. Before she knew it, she became extremely sleepy again, her eyelids beginning to feel heavier. With Sean O'Haire still in her thoughts, she pushed down from the window and returned to the comfort of her bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Stephanie glanced around in nervous anticipation as she entered the arena. She pulled her wheeled suitcase behind her, mindful not to turn it over or run over anyone's feet. 

She was keeping a sharp lookout for Sean. She'd called him a few days earlier, inviting him to RAW rather than to attend Tuesday's SmackDown taping. Somehow, now that she was taking part on the Monday night WWE show, she preferred him there. And at these mere thoughts, she felt her cheeks burning. Who ever would have thought Stephanie McMahon capable of such a thing? 

She nodded and spoke hellos to various superstars she encountered, her mood surprisingly cheerful. For once, she was in a good mood again. Everyone was respectful of her, but none were 'brave' enough to approach her for a personal conversation. 

Stephanie often felt saddened by that. She wanted to be just like any other person in the WWE who went onscreen. Despite being Vince McMahon's daughter and being born with the proverbial silver spoon in her mouth, she was pretty down to earth, and she didn't consider herself any better than anyone else. But people seemed to be intimidated by her. Well, most, not all. 

As though almost on cue with her thoughts, the blonde suddenly noticed him enter the arena, a smug, self-satisfied grin on his face. He seemed to instantly catch sight of her and made a direct beeline to her. The young woman knew it would do no good to try and play oblivious. 

"Well, well, well... If it isn't Stephanie McMahon." 

The blonde could barely refrain from rolling her eyes as she wished the floor would swallow her up whole. The last thing she needed was to deal with Paul Levesque. She suddenly felt her cheery mood traveling south. 

"Hello, Paul," she muttered. 

"Go figure we would both make our return last week at Homecoming," the burly, large-nosed man said, that smug expression still in place. "Who would've thought Stephanie McMahon would ever return to national television?" He asked this rhetorically, not caring or waiting for her response. "I thought I'd been zapped back to three years ago." He gestured toward her head. "Well, except for that. Tell me, Steph - what the hell made you decide to go blonde? I mean, no offense, but it's definitely not your color." 

Stephanie pressed her lips tightly together, biting her tongue. It was so difficult not to lose her temper with this man. He was an ass through and through and had put her through hell when they'd been together. 

"No, you tell me, Paul," she retorted, "what made you decide to go fat?" She couldn't help but smile at the instant hint of embarrassment that crossed the man's harsh features. Levesque definitely had gained weight, however, and not in a good way. Last week, when he'd returned, Stephanie had noticed immediately that her ex had pronounced lovehandles and plenty more flab on his back, ass, and even thighs. She knew he'd gone and done a commercial for Wendy's during his hiatus from the ring - but she never would have guessed he would have actually been snarfing down the Triple H Burger by the dozen, even if it had been named after his in-ring character! If she'd given a damn about him now, she'd feel sad, considering how deeply into fitness he'd been when they'd first started dating. Over the last two or more years, he'd really let himself go. 

With a measure of glee, Stephanie noticed some other WWE superstars nearby had evidently overheard her crack to Paul. She could tell, as a few seemed to be hiding their laughter. She knew that not many liked the man backstage, and hell, she couldn't blame them. She often wondered what she herself had ever seen in him, yet she counted her lucky stars she'd discovered for herself what a dog he was and hadn't actually married him. 

Levesque scowled as he glared down at his former fiancee. What a bitch she was. Damn her to hell... She knew she looked good, knew he wasn't looking as good as he used to, and naturally, she had to rub his nose in it. Paul wanted to make Stephanie pay. She'd tried to destroy him once upon a time ago, but she'd failed. He wanted to do the same to her - destroy her - but he would not fail. He reduced his voice to a soft snarl. 

"You miserable little-" 

Stephanie openly ignored him as she suddenly caught sight of someone else. Slipping away from him, she approached another man, one Levesque found himself shocked to see here, of all places. The man had been released a year and a half earlier, so what the hell was he doing here now? 

Whatever the case, Paul felt his blood boiling as Stephanie reached out with her free hand to touch Sean O'Haire's arm. 


	4. Chapter 4

Stephanie smiled for Sean's benefit as she approached him, but at the same time, she could still feel her ex-fiance's beady eyes on her. It was anything but a pleasant feeling. 

"Are you okay?" O'Haire asked, concern etched on his ruggedly handsome face as he searched her eyes. It looked like Stephanie was upset, and he knew she'd been having a conversation with Paul Levesque - her ex. It had no doubt been an aggravation for the tall blonde, as their parting had not been on good terms. 

"Yes, I'm fine," Stephanie replied evenly. She kept her facial features neutral, deciding it would be a pointless waste of time, not to mention, energy, if she told him about the stupid conversation she'd just had with Paul. Although, she had to inwardly admit that she wondered how he would react... Would he approach Paul and confront him for harassing and hassling her? 

Sean's blue eyes trailed over to Levesque, the burly man walking a small ways away from where he'd been standing, his gaze briefly falling on Stephanie again. O'Haire didn't like the other man. He never had, but he didn't see any reason not to. Paul Levesque, although he hadn't been born into the McMahon family or a wrestling family with a legacy like the Guerreros or the Ortons, acted as though he'd been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Certainly, he threw his weight around all the time, bullying younger guys and talent he saw as a threat toward himself. And, amazingly, somehow, he'd managed to stay in the good graces of the WWE Chairman in spite of the fact that he'd cheated on Stephanie while they'd been engaged - which, of course, had led to their breakup. It was damned puzzling is what it was. Levesque had been pushed all the way to the moon, rewarded for his despicable actions, while himself and others like him had been fired from the company. It was ridiculous. 

"As soon as we get settled in," Stephanie said, changing the subject and cutting through his thoughts, "we'll discuss your rehiring." She smiled at him, this time genuinely. She had the contract all drawn up and in her briefcase. She was looking forward to seeing him sign it. 

"Great," he replied. He still wouldn't believe his good fortune. He almost felt as though he were coming home. Of course, he had to acknowledge that it wasn't so much the WWE itself but the beautiful woman standing before him that made him feel this way. 

_He smiled as she moaned, her face filled with ecstasy as she climaxed, strands of her long brown hair plastered to her face, as she was perspiring. It was one of the sexiest things he'd ever seen or experienced in his life. _

_A growl emerged from his lips as he kept up the pace of his thrusts, not wanting to stop or even slow down as he could easily bring her to yet more pleasure._

Sean regained his wits about him as Stephanie reached out and touched his arm. 

"I think you'll like the terms of this new contract," she said, blue eyes sparkling as her soft, easy smile seemed so full of promise. 

O'Haire's gaze dropped from the woman's sparkling azure orbs to the dainty, finely manicured hand that still held onto him. She was no doubt completely oblivious as to the effect she was having on him. 

Stephanie's heart was thudding seemingly too fast in her chest. The over-excitement stemmed from the combination of being aggravated by Paul Levesque and her still intense attraction to Sean. From her peripheral vision, she'd noticed the man she couldn't stand still watching her like a hawk. Although he was being fairly subtle about it, the blonde knew what Paul was all about, and he didn't look happy. She only hoped he would get the idea that she and O'Haire were an item and just buzz off. 


	5. Chapter 5

Paul Levesque seethed as he paced back and forth in the room. He scowled deeply and made no real attempt to disguise his anger as the other man spoke to him.

"It's no use getting so worked up over this," Vince McMahon said in an attempt to appease him. "It makes no difference that he's back or that Stephanie has taken an interest in him."

"How can you say that, Vince?" Paul barked, his hands clenching into fists. "She thinks she's going to give that O'Haire _my_ spot?! What the hell does he have that I don't? He couldn't even lace up my boots!"

McMahon hesitated for a beat, as he'd actually also been big on Sean O'Haire's talent and had supported giving him a push. The truth was, he'd always considered the man's release two years earlier to be a mistake. He'd seen O'Haire as a future big-time player in the company. Too bad they'd dropped the ball on that one. However, for the moment, he had to ease the agitation of his current favorite star.

"Paul, you know _nobody_ is ever going to get your spot. That's something you don't ever have to worry about," he assured him. It was the truth, too. Although Levesque and Stephanie never got married as they'd planned once upon a time, the WWE owner was extremely fond of the man. He was like a second son to him. And he was more like one of his children than his own daughter had been for quite awhile.

Levesque turned his furious eyes toward him, his face still etched in a scowl. This was all bogus crap. He knew Vince had to somehow to involved with rehiring O'Haire, because even though Stephanie was co-Vice-President of the company, Mr. McMahon was still owner and Chairman. It sickened him.

"So, tell me, Vince... What kind of a deal is O'Haire getting, anyway?" he muttered, not bothering to hide the bitterness from his voice.

Vince arched an eyebrow at the question, and the boldness of it. Paul was not a part of management, although he personally would have had no objection to making him so. Still, Levesque was pretty ballsy in occasionally asking him things he knew he shouldn't.

"Err... Paul, you know that's private information," he stated. Somehow, he knew the younger man would press the issue.

"Oh, come on, Vince," came the reply, which was accompanied by a smirk. "You can tell me... I'll be mature about it." For the old man's benefit, Levesque smiled.

Vince hesitated, swallowing before he finally decided there would really be no harm in indulging the other man. So, he told him exactly what he wanted - or _didn't_ want - to hear.

Paul's features remained neutral at first, but it took effort not to show just how angry he was at what he'd just heard. What the hell...?! He knew Stephanie had drawn up the deal for O'Haire... Yet, at the same time, of course Vince would have had to be the one to give approval and the final say. What the hell was wrong with the old man? He'd actually okayed such a lucrative contract for the guy?! Maybe, just maybe, all the rumors about Vince being senile swirling through the locker room _were_ actually true!

"Uh huh," he muttered between clenched teeth. He decided it was time for him to make his exit. At least Sean O'Haire wasn't making the same salary as him! Thank goodness for small favors in that respect.

Sean walked down the arena hallway, smiling as he acknowledged all the greetings he received from his fellow WWE superstars. Some were new faces, others he remembered from his last stint with the company.

He was about to go out for his first match back. It was exciting, and he was filled with nervous but happy anticipation. He couldn't wait to get back in there. He definitely missed the squared circle, the competition, and, probably most of all, the fans. They were awesome.

As Sean made his way to gorilla position, he got the distinctly uncomfortable feeling of being watched. He turned to glance over his shoulder, and sure enough, he confirmed it.

Paul Levesque, a most unpleasant and even hostile expression on his face, was staring at him. The deep lines in his forehead seemed even more creased, his nostrils seemingly flared as well.

They kept up the strange eye contact for a moment more before O'Haire turned away. He put the other man completely out of his mind for the time being as he walked away. Nothing was going to spoil his good mood.


	6. Chapter 6

O'Haire was getting his belongings together in the locker room after the show. He felt really good about the match he'd had earlier in the night. It had been against a local jobber from the area, but he'd gotten a good feel for it. He would probably have considered it his strongest showing since before his character had been changed several years back.

Much to Sean's delight, his devil's advocate gimmick was being reinstated. He hadn't yet recorded any promos for it, but Stephanie had assured him that would be next on the agenda. Likewise, she'd promised that he would be allowed once again to come up with his own stuff. She'd been the one to stand behind him two years earlier, and he was eternally grateful toward her for it.

Thoughts of the youngest McMahon brought a smile to the big man's face. How very kind she was toward him. She had always supported him in his career with the company. He remembered how she'd contacted him upon learning of his release.

_"Hello?" Sean said into his cell phone._I'll miss you, _but since she hadn't voiced that sentiment toward him, he kept it to himself._

"Hello? Sean, it's me - Stephanie."

"Yeah... I know."

He heard her sigh sadly before she spoke again.

"I... I want you to know I am completely against your release," she blurted. "I just feel terrible about it. I... I guess I don't know what more to say." There was a definite hint of despair mixed with hopelessness in the young woman's voice.

"I know, Steph... And thanks," he replied. Inwarded, he thought,

"Anyway," the brunette continued, "if there's anything you need from me - ever - don't hesitate to call."

Sean didn't fail to notice the suddenly empty, chasm-like sensation in the pit of his stomach and in his heart. Her words seemed so... final. It tore at his very soul.

"Thanks, Steph... I'll do that."

He became startled by the sudden ringing of his cell phone. In a haste, he reached into his bag for it and flipped it open, not bothering to check the display for who was calling.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Sean." Oddly enough, it was Stephanie. Maybe, just maybe, he was psychic.

"Steph... Hey, what's up?" he asked in a pleasant, surprised voice.

"Well," she said, "I was actually on my way out. But I was wondering... Would you like to have dinner with me?" She held her breath, knowing it was pretty late, but she hadn't had time to grab a bite earlier, and she would enjoy the dark-haired man's company.

Sean smiled.

"Sure, that sounds great."

"Yay! How about we meet right outside the arena, in front of the main entrance in say... ten minutes?"

He let out a soft chuckle.

"Sounds perfect to me."

Shortly thereafter, he hung up as they ended the conversation. He finished gathering up his belongings, and minutes later, he was heading out to meet Stephanie. Unfortunately, he wasn't prepared for the scene he was about to interrupt.

"I _told_ you, I'm not going to discuss it. This isn't the time nor the place!"

"Oh, give me a break. It'll never be the time or the place whenever I'm concerned. Why do you always have to be such a bitch?"

Sean frowned as he approached Stephanie. She appeared just as aggravated as she sounded. Her jaw was set with indignation, her blue eyes glittering dangerously as she fixed them on her former fiance.

"Hey... You don't call this woman names," he said in a low, warning tone. He placed himself before the blonde, glancing at her quickly before turning back to Paul Levesque. "Is there a problem here? Something I can handle for you?" he asked, glaring at the other man.

Paul stared at him with such hatred gleaming in his amber-colored eyes. However, he was unphased, even as the guy responded.

"Yeah, I got a problem," he said, his furious gaze shifting from O'Haire to Stephanie, "but I'm talking to _her_ - not you."

"Why don't you just get a life, Paul?" the young woman challenged, her head cocked to one side as she gave him the dirtiest look she could manage.

"Why, you little-"

"Enough," Sean growled. He was angry... He'd been in such good spirits, looking forward to meeting Stephanie for dinner, but here she was, upset thanks to this man. It didn't sit well with him at all.

"Let it go, Levesque," he ordered, his gaze hard as he fixed it on the other man. "If you've really got a problem - whatever it may be - maybe you should take it up with Vince. As for Steph, well, she's got dinner plans." He slipped an arm around the woman's waist as though for emphasis. "Now, if you'll excuse us."

With that, he ushered the blonde away. Stephanie was all smiles as she whispered "thank you" to him. She took hold of his arm as he offered it to her.

Paul, on the other hand, stood there fuming in silence. He stared after the two with malice, muttering a string of curses under his breath. If it was the last thing he did, he would get even with Stephanie as well as that bastard O'Haire.


	7. Chapter 7

Stephanie smiled as she eyed the man sitting across from her. She raised her glass of wine to her lips, took a deep swallow and spoke.

"So... How do you feel about the terms of your new contract?"

Sean smiled, shaking his head.

"They're great... I can't complain at all. I mean, the terms are quite generous," he said. He'd actually been a little shocked to read that not only was he going to be main eventing, he was also going to be feuding with the WWE Champion for the title. It was really an amazing feeling.

"Well," Stephanie began, her cheeks actually flushing slightly pink, "I have a confession to make... _I_ drew it all up." She took another sip of wine before continuing. "My father read over all the terms, and he agreed with them."

O'Haire merely stared at the young woman, touched and full of wonder. He couldn't believe her generosity.

"Welcome to the big leagues, Sean. You deserve it." Stephanie held her glass out to him, and he got the message and clinked his own into it. Sean was so taken aback. He had to thank her, show her how truly grateful he was feeling. It seemed for the moment, he was almost at a loss for words.

"Steph, I... I'm really quite humbled. I... Thank you."

She grinned at him, and her blue eyes completely lit up.

"No, thank _you_, Sean," she said. "You've been terrific, and you rescued me from Paul earlier. Thank you for that."

O'Haire hadn't been thinking of the earlier incident with Levesque for the better part of the two hours they'd been at the restaurant. He had questioned Stephanie early on, when he'd come by and whisked her away, but she'd basically shaken her head and said the man was an ass, but not much else. Now that she brought it up again, he wondered.

"What was that all about, anyway?" he asked. "What was it _really_ all about?"

The young woman's face darkened, her smile fading. It was a shame that the subject of Paul Levesque should have to come up to dampen the mood. Things had been going so well.

She sighed, rolling her eyes as she set her wineglass aside.

"Paul is a bitter, insecure, jealous person," she stated. "Apparently, my idiot father gave him the details of your contract, and he's none too happy about them."

Sean arched an eyebrow. That was surprising news - at least the part about Mr. McMahon sharing information about a superstar's contract with another. It was wrong, unprofessional.

"Oh, is that so?" he asked, finding all of this news quite interesting. It didn't take a brain surgeon to realize that Stephanie's former fiance didn't like him. But it was quite another matter altogether that the man apparently felt threatened by him.

"Yeah. That's what we were arguing about. He thinks 'his' spot is being taken away." The blonde shook her head again. "Too bad he can't get it through his thick skull that he's not king of the universe. He really thinks _he_ should be the next WWE Champion. He's so intimidated by anyone else who gets a main event push."

Sean actually found this bit of news amusing. Go figure that Paul Levesque hadn't approached him to confront him yet. On the other hand, when he'd originally come to the WWE several years prior, no one had had the guts to approach him in that manner. He guessed it was because everyone knew his reputation as being an expert in both karate and muay tai. It did bother him, however, that Levesque was taking his frustrations out on the beautiful woman seated across from him. She didn't deserve the aggravation that man bestowed upon her. He cocked his head as he eyed her, an idea crossing him.

"Stephanie, if you wouldn't mind it, I can have a word with him."

Her blue eyes widened slightly in surprise. She caught herself just in time to prevent herself from choking on the sip of wine she'd just taken and waved her hand at him.

"No, Sean... You don't have to do that," she insisted. Actually, she _preferred_ he not do it. After all, knowing Paul, he would think Sean was trying to start a fight with him, and he'd no doubt think she put him up to it. Things would only get ugly in this scenario.

"All right. You're the boss."

Stephanie felt a smile blossoming again. This man made her feel so good about just about everything!

"Let's change the subject to something pleasant... A toast... To the future." She raised her glass again.

O'Haire smiled as he raised his own glass, clinking hers.

"To the future," he echoed.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Been awhile since I've updated this story, but I hope you guys are still reading and will continue to review! Thanks go out to CrystalxxRose, Cheryl, Inday and Djuro for reviewing so far. You guys are awesome! :)**_

_She turned away from the window as the sadness gripped her, not wanting to shed the tears she felt coming. It wasn't that she was fearful of him seeing them... But he didn't want her to cry over him, as he'd told her the prior night._ tell _you what you're gonna do... You're gonna go on with your amazing career and thrive in it." He swallowed hard as he thought about the fact that she was to be getting married mere weeks from then, but he opted to not speak a word of her personal life. In a way, he was glad he was leaving... How could he ever sit idly by knowing this woman was going to marry someone else? Thinking about it ate away at him._

_She felt a sick, cold, cavernous feeling, an emptiness inside of her. How was she going to face the day, especially her job, without him there? During the short course of their friendship, which they had forged so quickly, she'd really grown to depend on him. He was one of the most important people in her life. He respected and understood her in a way that few others did. She could even talk with him about her relationship troubles. Who needed a close girlfriend when he was so very easy to talk to?_

_"Hey," he said as he caught the expression on her face. Her beautiful blue eyes looked to be filled with tragedy as she fixed them on him. He had never seen her appear quite so sad._

_Her chin quivered slightly as she spoke._

_"I know you don't want me to be sad, or cry..." She shook her head. "I can't help it!" she moaned. "What am I going to do without you?"_

_The man moved even closer as he placed his large hand on her beautiful face. He marveled at the softness of her skin as he tipped her chin up a bit so she could look directly into his eyes._

_"I'll _tell _you what you're gonna do... You're gonna go on with your amazing career and thrive in it." He swallowed hard as he thought about the fact that she was to be getting married mere weeks from then, but he opted to not speak a word of her personal life. In a way, he was glad he was leaving... How could he ever sit idly by knowing this woman was going to marry someone else? Thinking about it ate away at him._

_They merely stared at each other for a moment in silence, just standing there in front of his hotel room window. Then, she did something she'd been yearning to do for some time now..._

_... She kissed him._

_Despite his shock at the move, he instantly responded, his arms encircling her taut feminine form. He pulled her more closely against him, loving the feel and intensity of passion in her kiss. He deepened it as he thrust his tongue more fully into her mouth._

_She let out a cry that was muffled due to their kiss, her body positively on fire at his touch, his kiss. She had known all along when she'd visited him tonight that she wanted this, wanted him to make love to her at least one time before he left, most likely to be out of her life forever. Breathless, she pulled back to gaze up into his blue eyes, and she felt weak with desire as she spoke next._

_"I want you... Just one night, tonight - before you leave."_

_He gazed at her, noting the pleading tone in her voice. Her eyes drank him in so tenderly, yet at the same time, he saw so much lust in them. Without a word, he crushed his lips on hers, kissing her even more passionately as his hands pulled at her clothing. She wanted him, and he wanted her just as fervently._

--

"Ma'am?"

Stephanie looked up, slightly startled at the sound of the voice, the hand gently tapping her shoulder.

"Wh-what?" she asked, still disoriented. Apparently, she'd dozed off.

The flight attendant offered her a kind smile.

"Sorry to disturb you," the woman said. "I just wanted to know if you wanted anything?"

The blonde glanced over at the wheeled beverage cart in the aisle. She had to get hold of herself and shake off the cobwebs.

"Water... Water would be nice," Stephanie replied. "Thank you."

Again, the flight attendant smiled, and she reached for a bottle of Fiji water. She handed it to the young woman before pushing the cart to the next row of first-class passengers.

Stephanie held onto the water bottle and sighed as she recalled the memory she'd seen in her dream. That night had seemed so long ago, far into her past. She supposed her dinner with Sean earlier that night had prompted the recollection.

She was on her way home now, on a flight to Connecticut. Now that she was awake, she couldn't help reflecting on her life.

Her career was very successful, exactly as he'd predicted on that fateful night. Sure, a few of the storylines she had written had proven to be bombs, but most had been, and continued to be, hugely successful. Her personal life, on the other hand, was a dud. Who was she kidding? She _had_ no personal life, not since she'd broken up with Paul. She felt a lot better alone than she had with him, but regardless, she oftentimes felt... lonely.

About thirty minutes later, her flight had landed and she was on her way out of the airport. Her limo was waiting to take her home. Stephen, the driver, stepped out of the vehicle to help her with her bags, and she smiled and offered him a kindly greeting. Afterward, she got into the back and sighed, closing her eyes as she settled back. As she opened her eyes again, she caught a quick reflection of herself in the side window and wondered what she was doing. She ran a hand through her hair, the realization that she missed her natural brunette color suddenly dawning on her.

Sean... She couldn't rid her mind of the handsome tattooed man. She recalled his wit as they'd sat at dinner at that restaurant, the sound of his laughter. Most of all, she couldn't stop thinking of his eyes... It seemed they haunted her on nearly a nightly basis.

Stephanie knew she had to have a talk with the man, and soon. She knew how she felt, and he needed to know, too.


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N: Thanks to Cheryl for reviewing the last chapter! To answer your question, there's no hot love scene in this chapter, but I promise there WILL be one a few chapters away. ;)_**

Vince McMahon opened his eyes at the realization that someone was knocking on his bedroom door. He sat up, his eyes actually hurting, and he nearly flinched as he noticed the time on his digital clock - three-fourteen AM.

"What in blazes...?" The elder man stood up, angry to say the least, that somebody had enough nerve to disturb him at this time of night.

His wife, Linda, was not in the bed with him. The McMahon matriarch had her own bedroom, and if the truth were known, all of _that_ kind of love had left their marriage years earlier. Vince knew it, Linda knew it, and even the kids as well as their hired help, knew it.

Yanking the door to his bedroom open, the man squinted out into the hall.

"What is it, Melody?" he nearly snapped at the live-in housekeeper who stood there, practically cowering.

"Mr. McMahon, I'm so sorry to waken you. But there's a visitor, and he insists on seeing you."

"Tonight? _Now_?!" Vince barked.

"Good evening, Vince." The voice drew the older man's attention off of the demure housekeeper. Paul Levesque was standing just off to the left side and peered in at him.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here at this godforsaken hour? Paul, don't you ever sleep?"

"Yeah, about that," Paul said, scratching the back of his neck and actually exhibiting some humility for once in his life, "I really _couldn't_ sleep."

"Yeah?" Vince snapped. "Well, some of us were doing just fine." He cast the younger man a dirty look before reaching for his robe on the foot of the bed. As he slipped it on and belted it, he sighed with resignation. "Come on to the den."

The two men entered the hallway, and once they reached the right room, Mr. McMahon gestured for Paul to go in first. Flipping on a lamp instead of the overhead light, the WWE boss slid into his large brown leather easy chair and leaned back, propping his slipper-encased feet up on the maple desk.

"So, tell me what exactly is on your mind," he said. Unfortunately, the man was certain he already knew, and he prepared himself for yet another tirade.

"You already know, Vince," came the reply. Levesque leaned forward in his seat on a plush leather couch that matched the old man's chair. His already harsh features hardened as he continued. "It's Stephanie... and that damned O'Haire. I can't believe that guy - the nerve!"

The chairman refrained from rolling his eyes, but he couldn't prevent himself from yawning. But damn it, he couldn't help it, as it was quarter after three in the morning and he'd been woken out of a sound sleep.

"What now?"

"I'll tell you 'what now,'" Paul whined. "I had a little chat with your precious little girl after the show tonight. We got into an argument and then she totally blew me off when 'Prince Charming' came to her rescue!" He shook his head, his already lined forehead growing even more lined as he frowned deeply. "I tried to confront her about the storyline and the guy's contract, but she wasn't having any of it." His right hand balled into a fight, and he could feel his blood pressure rising.

McMahon sighed and faced the man who'd almost become his son-in-law.

"Why are you allowing this to bother you so much, Paul? I told you before - no one is going to steal your spot," he said. "And he certainly won't ever see the salary _you_ get. He would be lucky to get even one-tenth of it."

Levesque grinned, but it was more of a sadistic expression than anything else. He just couldn't rid his mind of this, or of the two of them. They made him sick! He let out a small chuckle, but then all traces of light left him as he sneered again.

"Ain't _that_ the truth... Look, Vince - I'm gonna say this and only once," Paul said between slightly clenched teeth. "If that man gets in my face again, in any way, shape or form, it's on. I will take him out by any means necessary - even if I have to get a sledgehammer." He met the old man's tired eyes, which grew slightly wide as he listened to him.

Vince frowned as he figured the younger man was referring to his daughter with the words, 'what's rightfully mine.'

"I may even go a step or two further than that. No one, and I mean _no one_," Levesque spat, "is gonna stop me from regaining the WWE Championship!"

McMahon eased back a bit, relieved that it was only the coveted title belt Paul was referring to. Had he been talking about Stephanie, he might have thrown him out of his house, and very well might have even gone so far as to fire him. He nodded.

"Very well," he said and stood up. "I won't dispute you or try to stop you in any way. If you'll excuse me now, I'd like to get back to sleep. I have a huge company to run, after all." He nodded at the younger man.

Levesque rose and joined the man out in the hallway of the spacious mansion.

"Good. I'm glad you see things my way. Have a good night, Vince."

Not a word did he speak as to apologizing for waking up the boss in the middle of the night, but on the other hand, McMahon had to remind himself that he'd done that earlier.

"Goodnight, Paul."

With that, the younger man left, and Vince was happy to return to his slumber.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Thanks to Cheryl for reviewing the last chapter. :) Yup, I guess making Paul sadistic in my stories is one of my gifts! ;)**_

_No Mercy_

Sean entered the arena with a definite purpose and full of anticipation. He would be competing in his first pay-per-view match since rejoining the company, and he greatly looked forward to it.

His opponent for the evening was Ric Flair. It was ironic that the older man was the last of the onetime members of Triple H's most recent faction, Evolution.

O'Haire wondered what the large-nosed man thought about the fact that he had a match with Flair. After all, it couldn't have gotten much closer to actually fighting with _him_, given their onscreen relationship.

Sean bitterly recalled his last encounter with Paul Levesque. He'd apparently arrived just in time to rescue Stephanie. The blonde had sounded and looked so angry, as her former fiance had been interrogating her.

"Aha... There he is," a voice rang out, interrupting his thoughts.

Sean looked up to see none other than the boss, Vince McMahon himself, approaching. The man was smiling, and he put an arm around his shoulder when he reached him.

"Hello, Mr. McMahon." Unlike when he was with the man's daughter, he felt somewhat unnerved around Vince. Of course, the boss had always been kind to him, but he still felt slightly ill at ease. Maybe it was because, even if it hadn't been Vince's idea to release him nearly two years earlier, he'd done nothing to stop it, either.

"I'd like to have a word with you if you have a little time."

O'Haire stared at the older man as he released him. What could he want to discuss with him? It seemed that since he'd come back, the only person who'd spoken to him about his career was Stephanie. The blonde always had these great ideas for his character and had even been the one to draw up his contract. Why was Vince suddenly taking an interest in him? Although wary, he was also incredibly curious.

"Sure, sir," he said. "I have time."

"Very well," the Chairman said with a curt nod. "Go on to your locker room to leave your bag and then stop by my office."

Sean nodded before trotting off to do as the man suggested. Naturally, along the way, he just _had_ to run into Levesque.

The other man glared at him with undisguised hatred. Being the bigger person, O'Haire ignored him, but he could sense the guy's beady eyes on his back as he continued walking down the hallway.

Much to his pleasant surprise, he met someone else on the way as well.

"Sean!" Stephanie smiled. "I was just looking for you. Do you... have a minute?" She gave a slight shrug of one shoulder, a movement he found incredibly cute.

"Your hair... Steph."

The young woman raised a hand to her head and smiled again.

"Yeah, I went back to my natural color," she explained. "I kind of missed it."

He eyed her appreciatively in silence for a beat. While he'd thought she was beautiful with her hair dyed blonde, she looked that much more so with her natural brunette shade.

"So, can you...?"

"Sorry, can't right now," he said. "I've got a meeting with your father."

"Dad?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, we just bumped into each other a minute ago, and he said he wanted to talk to me. I was just dropping my stuff off and heading over to meet him."

"Oh, I see," the brunette replied, her mouth scrunching up slightly in her thoughtfulness. She wondered why her father had summoned Sean but knew she could find out later - from either man.

"Anyway," O'Haire said as the young woman stared at him, "I'll meet up with you later, in any event."

"Okay," Stephanie agreed, brightening. They definitely had a lot to talk about. While a part of her was dreading it out of nervousness, she was mostly looking forward to it.

She watched as he hurried past her and down the hallway, waving as a tiny smile graced her lips.

However, the moment she turned to face forward again, her mood completely fell. It was just her luck that Paul should be standing before her. His unattractive face wore a smile that, to her, appeared completely sarcastic.

"Well, if it isn't the Princess herself," he muttered.

She rolled her eyes, doing nothing to hide the gesture.

"Well, if it isn't the king of _crap_," she retorted. She couldn't help but curse herself for actually having a past with the man. What the hell had she been thinking? What had she ever seen in him? It all seemed a big mystery to her now.

Levesque's smile faded, and a deep frown replaced it. The more he thought about it, he'd really grown to despise the woman over the last year or longer. She was a cold, callous, unfeeling bitch. In a way, it was difficult to fathom that she was Vince McMahon's daughter. At least the old man was friendly. His ire increased as a satisfied smirk came to her face at his reaction.

"You bitch... I oughta slap that smile right off your face."

"Do that and I'll make sure you'll be _fired_," Stephanie spat, no traces of amusement left on her face or in her demeanor. She was dead serious, too.

Paul knew this as well, without question. Glaring his hatred right into her, he clamped his mouth shut and stalked away.


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N: Thanks again to Cheryl for the last review! ;)_**

Sean made his way to Mr. McMahon's office, filled with anticipation. He stood outside the door for a second to catch his breath. Then, readying himself, he knocked, rapping five times with the knuckles of his right hand.

"Come on in," he heard the WWE Chairman call.

He did as instructed, his hand turning the door handle. He stuck his head in first, almost tentative as he greeted the older man.

"You wanted to meet with me, sir?"

"Yes, Sean," Vince replied. He stood up and moved out from behind the desk, gesturing with a wave of one hand. "Please, sit down. Make yourself comfortable."

O'Haire sat down and eyed his boss expectantly. He was normally a very even-keeled and calm guy, but for some reason, his stomach was doing flip-flops right now.

Vince sat on the very edge of his desk, basically leaning on it. He templed his fingers and eyed the younger man with fondness. The truth was, he liked Sean O'Haire. He saw a ton of potential in the younger man. O'Haire had it all - the looks, the exceptional mic skills, and a tremendous amount of wrestling prowess. And Vince wanted to reward the man.

"First of all, I wanted to thank and congratulate you for rejoining the company."

Sean was slightly taken aback. He wouldn't have expected this, and not from the boss.

"Well, thank you, sir."

Vince waved him off, shaking his head as well.

"Enough of this 'sir' business," he cut in. "Feel free to call me Vince." He smiled, then went on. "My daughter Stephanie had been all the rave about you," he said. "She can't seem to stop praising you every chance she gets. Now, since she had a keen eye for business, I've decided that I want to take her suggestions to heart."

Sean rose his brows as he listened. What exactly was Mr. McMahon about to propose here? He was suddenly literally on the edge of his seat.

"We're going to give you a shot at the WWE Championship," Vince declared, his face lighting up. It seemed as though the evil genius in him was taking over as he laid down the myriad of ideas on the table. "We want to put you in a program for the title, and not just in any fashion."

"Wow... I don't quite know what... That you, Mr. Mc... _Vince_."

The Chairman smiled as he eyed the younger man. Yes, O'Haire was certainly a deserving candidate. He liked the fact also that he would actually _appreciate_ the opportunity he was getting and not expect it as though it were his birthright. And by damn, as much as he loved Paul like his own son, that was precisely the way _he_ acted about getting a championship shot. And frankly, Vince was getting a little tired of it. The man never showed any humility, not _ever_. In that respect, Sean O'Haire was the antithesis of Paul.

"Before you thank me," McMahon said, holding up one forefinger, "there's more."

_More_? Sean thought. _What else could be possibly as great as what he's already told me_?

"I've seen how you are with my daughter. And I know for a fact that she thinks extremely highly of you, Sean," the older man said. He clapped his hands together and went on. "So, what's I've decided to do is to pair the two of you up onscreen."

O'Haire arched an eyebrow in surprise. It had been ages since Stephanie had been onscreen on a regular basis... And Vince wanted to return her to TV by putting her with _him_? _Hell_ yeah!

"Wow..." he breathed. "Really?"

"Really. She is going to be your manager, effective immediately. To be frank, I haven't even talked to her about this yet, but I don't see her saying no to the idea."

Sean could suddenly not stop grinning. He stood up, putting his hand out toward the boss.

"Thank you, Vince," he said, finally remembering to call the man by his first name as he wished him to. "Thanks a lot. I'm very pleased by your news - and with your ideas."

"It's a pleasure." The older man shook his head and nodded, smiling.

--

Just outside the office, Paul Levesque felt his blood pressure rising by the minute. He'd heard everything, every single word, and he didn't like it one bit.

It was his worst fears brought to life. Vince had just given O'Haire the spot that was rightfully _his_. Hell, he was even putting _his_ ex-fiancee with the prick!

He backed away from the door, seething mad. He was going to have words with the old man over this.


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/N: Thanks to Cheryl and steph-mcmahon-fan for reviewing the last chapter! :) Much apologies for taking so very long in updating this story... I hope you guys will forgive me, especially with the events of this new chapter. Read on to see what I mean, but it should make you happy! ;)_**

Stephanie was still annoyed when she returned to her office. Getting into any sort of confrontation with Paul just pushed her over the edge and into a bad mood. But she desperately tried to shove that back, as she had far better things to do.

She was seated behind the desk and going through a few papers when she heard a knock on the door. Barely looking up, she reached for a pen and called, "It's open!" She just hoped it wasn't Levesque, coming for another round. She wished it would turn out to be Sean, but he couldn't be through with his meeting with her father _that_ soon.

"Steph!"

Her head whipped up in the sound of the voice, and she smiled. Very pleasantly surprisingly, it was the shaggy-haired man after all.

"Hey... I wasn't expecting you so soon."

"The meeting was short and oh so sweet," he said, coming farther into the room to stand directly over her. Great news!"

The brunette smiled, as though feigning innocence. She didn't want to admit anything just yet, since Vince hadn't told her he was going to let O'Haire in on the entirety of the idea.

"Oh, really? What did Daddy tell you?"

"C'mon, Steph," the dark-haired man replied, barely able to keep from smirking, "he told me everything. I know it was _your_ idea - every last bit of it."

Stephanie blushed, unable to hide it as she shyly ducked her head. Normally, she was not one who did that very easily, but there was just something about this man that made her feel bashful and wonderful at the same time. She raised her head after a beat, blinking as her gaze met and locked with his.

"Okay... You got me," she admitted in a timid tone. She burst out in small laughter, however, and shook her head. "You have no idea how badly I've been wanting to get back on TV... And... well, I figured this would be the best way."

Sean smiled easily at her.

"With me?"

The brunette cocked her head, her blue eyes sparkling as she continued to gaze at him. She nodded.

"With _you_, Sean."

There was a brief moment of comfortable silence between the two of them. Then, Stephanie broke it.

"And there's more," she admitted. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, about the past, and..." She bit her lip, pausing again. "... I always seem to find myself thinking, and even _dreaming_, about that night."

Sean studied her pretty face in silence for a beat. Of course, he knew exactly what night she was referring to, and it touched him. He slowly lowered to a kneeling position so that they were more eye-level with one another.

"I think about that night a lot myself," he said.

The brunette smiled, moving her hands over toward him. She placed them into his shaggy wavy hair, enjoying the feel of the dark locks in between her fingers.

"To be honest, I never wanted that night to end," she said in a softer voice. "I don't know how I managed after you left. It was like I wasn't really living but just going through the motions. I know that sounds incredibly corny, but it's the truth." Stephanie smiled even more. "But then, like magic, there you were... back in my life again. You're like..." She paused again, searching for the right words. "... you're like a godsend."

O'Haire's hands came up to tenderly stroke the brunette's bare arms. How soft and silky her skin was! He loved to touch it. And he wanted to taste her again as well. He felt his lips drawing nearer to hers as he spoke.

"Steph... Beautiful Steph... I'm crazy about you."

Had he not felt so mesmerized by her and her nearness, he would have kicked himself for his words after that heartfelt confession from her. But she didn't seem to mind as she closed the small distance between them, kissing him into oblivion. Her dainty hands were still tangled in his hair as their tongues met and swirled for a battle of dominance.

This was the sort of passion he had missed in the last two years. She brought out the most incredibly deep feelings in him, and he yearned for more.

While still locked in their kiss, Stephanie and Sean missed the scowling face that peered in from the hallway.


	13. Chapter 13

**_A/N: Thanks again to steph-mcmahon-fan for the last review. Wow, I'm really flattered! :) I also am a Smoochy Dreamer, but I'm happy that there are some people out there who enjoy my Steph/O'Haire pairing. ;) Hope you enjoy this new chapter!_**

Paul was burning mad as he marched down the arena hallway. The very fresh memory of what he'd seen mere moments ago was forever etched in his mind. And he knew that if he didn't do something about it, and immediately, there was no way he would be able to perform like a normal person for the rest of that night.

Returning to his locker room, the enraged man snatched his cell phone. Thinking of what to do for a moment first, he flipped it open and dialed a number he'd committed to memory - his own as well as his phone's.

He waited for a few minutes as it rang. The person he was calling was at the arena that night, but he was way at the other end of the building. It wasn't that he was lazy, but Levesque simply didn't have the patience at the moment to walk all the way down there.

*

Vince looked up at the sound of the sudden ringing of his cell phone. He assumed that either Linda or someone from Headquarters, or perhaps even an injured superstar were ringing him. Reaching across his desk for the device, he caught a glimpse of the caller ID on the display... and he couldn't help rolling his eyes. He sighed and flipped the cell phone open to answer the call.

"What is it now, Paul?" It seemed to be getting to be a regular routine for the man to vent to him, so he had to assume there was yet another 'problem' with Stephanie and O'Haire.

"Vince," Paul barked in response, "you are not gonna believe what I just saw - with my own two eyes!"

For a few seconds, the WWE Chairman was confused. What was this all about? If Paul was interrupting his work just for some stupid, immature gossip...

"What are you talking about?"

Levesque frowned as he continued.

"Your daughter," he said bitterly, and it was then that Mr. McMahon realized the other man was indeed angry.

"So? Paul, where are you going with this?" Vince demanded. "I've got a lot of work to do, so now is not the time for suspense. Just spit it out already!"

There was a beat of silence on the other end save for the very audible breathing of the younger man.

"I just saw Stephanie and O'Haire kissing!"

*

Stephanie tensed up a bit as she pulled back to quickly glance over her shoulder. She turned back to face Sean, her expression considerably different than it had been a moment or so prior.

"Did you just hear something?" she asked, concerned.

O'Haire couldn't refrain from touching her as he held onto both of her hands in his much larger ones. He shook his head raising their clasped hands to kiss the backs of hers in turn.

"No... What did you hear?"

"Footsteps," the brunette replied. "Like someone was right outside the room but hurried away... Like they'd been spying on us."

O'Haire shrugged.

"I honestly didn't notice," he stated. He shrugged again, then went on as a possible explanation came. "Maybe someone wanted to speak to you but saw us and decided to leave us to our privacy." He winked.

"Maybe," Stephanie vaguely agreed. But she couldn't be sure.

"Anyway," Sean said, deciding to change the subject in a hurry, "about _us_... What do you want to do after the show? I can take you out for a late dinner... Our first date?"

The brunette locked her gaze on his dark blue eyes and felt a smile touching her lips. She couldn't help it, never could when it came to the man before her. She nodded and put her arms around his neck.

"That sounds perfect." She gazed deeply into his shining eyes as she moved her face toward his once again. His mouth on hers, his kiss, left her absolutely breathless.

For the first time in years, Stephanie found herself feeling truly happy. Things were looking bright for her after a long time of being lonely and stuck in a proverbial dark, dismal tunnel. Sean was back in her life, and he loved her... truly loved and cherished her like she'd been loving him for the past two years.

Of course, she had no idea that certain obstacles were just around the bend - and hellbent on making their lives miserable.


	14. Chapter 14

Sean led Stephanie into the posh Spanish restaurant, his hand gently pressed against the small of her back. She smiled and followed the maitre-de to the table. The man held a chair out for her, and she gratefully took it, thanking him.

O'Haire took a seat across, marveling at how beautiful she looked that night. She was wearing a lovely black silk dress, her brown hair slightly curled. Her makeup was done to perfection in all neutral colors, and she wore a few pieces of silver jewelry. It was perhaps the most beautiful he had ever seen her.

It was their first official date, and he wanted everything to be perfect. Well, he could be as casual, as himself as he wanted, since he knew the brunette so well due to their years of friendship. At the same time, he was just slightly nervous. He knew Stephanie adored him as a friend, but what about as a boyfriend? After all, they'd merely had a one-night stand years prior, right before he'd left the company.

He decided he was overanalyzing things. Clearly, Stephanie had feelings for him. She'd gone above and beyond anything to get him back with the WWE, and had helped him, believing in him every step of the way. And she did little things for him that told him she did truly love him.

As she picked up her menu and opened it, the brunette couldn't quite focus. She gave a little laugh, which drew Sean's attention on her in an instant - not that she hadn't already been holding him captive in that sense.

"What?" he asked, worry suddenly coursing right back to him.

Stephanie shook her head, averting her eyes a bit.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that I'm a little nervous, that's all."

"Nervous?" O'Haire echoed that single word, dumbfounded. How in the world could a gorgeous, brilliant and successful woman like her ever be nervous? And because she was on a date with him, of all things? He just couldn't conceive of that.

The brunette raised her gaze again, meeting his blue eyes. She smiled shyly, and a slight blush tinted her cheeks.

"Yeah," she admitted. "I know it's silly, since we've been friends for so long." She shrugged, running her hand up the spine of the menu she was holding. "But this is a whole new ballgame, you know?"

"Yeah," he said. He reached across the table to grasp her small, dainty hand in his much larger one. He smiled easily as he continued. "And if it's any consolation, Steph... well, I'm feeling the exact way you are."

The young woman's face showed some surprise.

"You are? Really?"

O'Haire nodded.

"Definitely... I guess I just want everything to be great tonight." he gave her soft hand a gentle squeeze before allowing the pad of his thumb to caress lightly over the meaty part of the appendage. "I mean, it's _you_."

Stephanie beamed, and she felt a rush of warmth and tenderness inside. God, this man made her feel all sorts of giddy. It was something neither Paul nor anyone else she'd ever dated had been able to achieve. She knew right at that moment that Sean O'Haire was for keeps.

"Sean... you're so sweet," she said, marveling at his handsomeness as well as his non-physical qualities. "And tonight _will_ be great, I have no doubts about that."

A waiter came by and smiled down at them.

"Good evening. Would you care for a drink from the bar?" The man eyed Stephanie first.

The brunette glanced back at Sean, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Merlot would be wonderful."

The dark-haired man nodded in agreement.

"I'll have the same," he said.

"Very good, sir, madam... I'll be back with your drinks and take your orders in a minute." With that, the waiter walked away to the bar across the establishment.

Sean was smiling as he met Stephanie's brilliant eyes again. He was definitely feeling a lot more confident since he'd admitted being nervous. And he was actually happy to know that she felt the same way. It meant they were not only in the same boat but two perfectly normal people.

"I have a feeling that tonight is going to be magical," he confessed. However, as soon as those words left his lips, he found himself chuckling. "Not to sound cheesy or anything," he quickly added before the brunette could question him.

A moment later, the waiter returned with their Merlot. He took their orders and cordially assured them they wouldn't have too long of a wait for their meals.

Stephanie raised her glass to clink it with O'Haire's.

"A toast," she insisted with a smile.

"Yes... to us."

"To_night_," the pretty brunette added, a mischievous look playing on her face.


	15. Chapter 15

**_A/N: Thanks to steph-mcmahon-fan for the last review. Hope you enjoy this new chapter! :)_**

Sean awoke to the pleasant feel of a delicate pair of hands caressing his chest from behind. He gave a happy groan and loved the sweet, fragrant scent that was purely Stephanie as he turned over so as to face her.

"Hey, you," she said in a slightly husky voice. Her long hair was mussed and her face wore a happy smile. She could hardly believe she was actually waking up beside this man. It was such an amazing feeling, and she was thrilled that this time, it wasn't merely a dream but reality. He was so wonderful to her, and they'd had quite the passion-filled night. She closed her eyes as he moved to first press a kiss to her forehead before moving on to her willing lips.

Moments later, she was sitting in bed, pulling on a white terrycloth robe in preparation for a quick shower.

"I think you'll rather appreciate the script for tonight's show."

He cast her a glance from over his shoulder as he got dressed.

"Yeah? What's on the agenda?" he asked.

Stephanie smiled, and there was a sort of innocence in that look as she held a small ream of papers in her hand.

"Come have a look yourself," she offered.

O'Haire zipped up his jeans, and, still shirtless, sidled up to her. He studied the expression of amusement present on her face and gratefully took the script from her. He skimmed through it quickly, and a slow smile steadily spread across his face.

"So, it all starts tonight?" he asked. It seemed so immediate, but who was he to complain about something this good? Besides, this was his second opportunity with the company, and the first time, he hadn't even been given the ball with which to run. He was going to enjoy every single second of this.

"It's gradual, but yeah," the brunette replied. "You'll attack John Cena tonight, and I'll come out, pretending to be all mad because you attacked the champ." She smirked as she gazed up at him. "I then 'punish' you by putting you into a match against Triple H and come out to ringside for it. I pretend I'm going to help him for the sake of our past together, but instead, it turns out I was aligned with _you_ all the time." Stephanie laughed heartily as she allowed her hands to trail over to the man's well-muscled pecs.

"Steph," he said, a small bit concerned, "are you sure the match is a good idea? I mean, we both kow Paul Levesque hates me."

"He hates _me_, too."

"But won't he feel like he's being set up or something?"

The brunette rolled her eyes.

"I don't give a _damn_ what Paul thinks. Besides," she reasoned, "this isn't about _him_, it's about _you_, Sean... and your opportunity to feud with John for the WWE Championship."

The dark-haired man searched the young woman's face.

"Are you sure he won't just take this as a personal shot, though? I mean, I don't give a shit if he tries to start anything with me... But Steph, I don't want that guy giving you anymore of a hard time than he already has."

Stephanie smiled, thoroughly touched. He really was so sweet and thoughtful. As far as she could remember, no other man had ever been so nice to or concerned for her... not even Paul. Well, _especially_ not Paul.

"You are a true sweetheart," she whispered, pulling his head down to hers for a kiss.

*

Levesque's jaw dropped with complete and utter outrage as he read his script for the evening's RAW. What the hell?! Stephanie had some damn nerve, and if she thought she was going to get away with pulling a stunt like this on him, she had another thing coming! The _nerve_ of that bitch!

Scowling, he hurled the stack of papers he was holding across the hotel room. He was going to be sure to put a stop to this before it even started. In a haste, he snatched his cell phone from the nightstand. He flipped it open so fast and hard, it was a miracle he hadn't broken it. Quickly, he dialed a number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Vince, it's me," he said, trying his darndest not to snap. Instead, he tried to reign in his anger and remain calm. He knew Vince hadn't been all that pleased the last couple of times they'd spoken, when he'd been all furious. This was probably the best route to take with the old man, even if they _were_ friends.

"Oh, good morning, Paul," Mr. McMahon said cheerily. "How are you?"

"Well, it's funny you should ask," Paul said, pinching the bridge of his large nose as he spoke. "Not very good, I'm afraid."

"I hope you're not sick."

Levesque could hear a touch of concern in the boss' voice.

"No, it's nothing like that, Vince," he assured him. He quickly cast through his mind, trying to decide how to proceed. Then, "Would it be okay if we met for breakfast?"

"Hmm," Vince said on the other end, as though thinking it over. "All right, why not? I haven't eaten yet. Just give me ten minutes, and I'll meet you at the cafe across the street."

In spite of the fact that he was still very angry over what he'd read in that script, Paul smiled. And he was relieved as well.

"Great. I'll be there."


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: Well, I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter, but I hope people are still reading this story. Whoever happens to read this new one, hope you enjoy.**_

"Are you nervous?"

Sean looked up to eye Stephanie with amusement at her question. She had a definite aura of excitement about her, and a twinkle in her blue eyes.

"Nope," he replied. "More like excited. It's not every day a guy gets to live out his lifelong dream."

"So, it's been a lifelong dream of yours to get to make a fool out of my ex-fiance in front of a national audience?" The brunette smirked, thoroughly relishing what she'd just said.

The shaggy-haired man laughed heartily and hugged her against his side. He was reminded once again of how it had been so easy for him to fall in love with her. Stephanie McMahon was brilliant, gorgeous and possessed just about the sharpest wit anywhere. He kissed her on the forehead before speaking again.

"Nah - although that's pretty damn sweet unto itself," he said. "But seriously, Steph... Having you out there, by my side is about the best part of this deal."

She wrapped an arm around his waist, swatting at him with her free hand.

"Oh, you lie!" she exclaimed in a teasing tone. "I meant about your opportunity for the title, silly."

Sean kissed her on the tip of her button nose.

"I know you did, baby, but I'm still thrilled you're gonna be out there with me."

Stephanie unentangled herself of his embrace to come around in front to face him. A most tender look came into her eyes as she reached up with both hands, cupping his handsome face.

"It really means that much to you that I'll be out there, doesn't it?"

He nodded, keeping his gaze locked on hers.

"Of course it does. Steph, I love you."

The brunette felt her eyes filling with tears of emotion. She pushed up on her toes to capture his willing lips, kissing him with all the fervor she could. She curled her fingers into his shoulder-length brown hair, loving the feel of his intense kiss.

When it was over, O'Haire kept his face so near to hers, nuzzling her with affection.

"I love you, too," Stephanie breathed. "You know that, right?"

He nodded as he continued to nuzzle her pretty face.

"Yeah... I do," he murmured.

The brunette reluctantly pulled away, all of her previous giddiness bubbling back to the surface.

"Okay, mister, you've got a match to get ready for. What do you think I should wear for the segment?"

Sean shrugged and said, "I'm not sure... Anything, so long as it's short, tight and low-cut, maybe?"

Stephanie playfully made a face at him.

"Hey! We're not going for 'slut' here. We're supposed to be a babyface couple!"

"I've seen face valets dress sexy," he countered.

"All right," the brunette said thoughtfully. "I'll go for sexy, but not in an overdone fashion. I'll go see what they've got available in wardrobe." She came back over to give him a quick kiss before slipping out of his locker room with a wave and an innocent smile.

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in," a most unpleasant voice muttered.

Stephanie scowled as she slowly turned around. The last thing she wanted was to face him now. Later? Well, that was a different story. She was totally looking forward to laughing in his fat face out at ringside.

"Paul," she said sternly. Inwardly, she cursed her luck. Why did she always end up running into him? It seemed to happen like clockwork, regardless of the time or her mood. Yet, the one constant that remained was that the latter always took a nosedive whenever she encountered him.

"What's the deal?" Levesque demanded. His face deepened into a frown. "In order to make Boy Toy look good, he has to beat me?" Actually, now that he thought about it, that made a lot of sense. After all, _he_ was the big man around there, and who the hell was Sean O'Haire? A WCW guy who went nowhere in the WWE. The guy had only made it to the company by a default, simply because Vince had bought out that other one.

"Yeah, that's right, Paul," Stephanie replied, a big smile now adorning her face. "Score one for you. And I'm going to enjoy every second of it out there."

The burly man scowled at her, his hands clenching into fists. He was silent for a moment, yet still menacing as he neared her just a bit. He glared into her eyes with hatred, his huge nostrils flaring.

"You haven't won, Stephanie."

The brunette seemed unaffected by his demeanor. A tiny smirk played on her lips as she stared up at him.

"But Sean _will_... and guess what? When he wins, so will _I_."

"Bitch," Paul muttered.

Stephanie smiled.

"Right back at'cha," she remarked. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have places to be." With that, she turned away from him and strode down the arena hallway.


End file.
